High and dry: New York City and close-by counties Clobbered By Drought Warning
New York City and 10 nearby counties are under a drought warning, a development that could slow the activities of businesses that rely on water to generate revenue. This includes agriculture in the area and utilities that rely on hydroelectric power. Related fires also damage property, and that damage is already into millions of dollars based on home destruction and smoke damage.
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New York has been without rainfall for nearly a month and a half, an unprecedented period for a hundred years, with the drought having spread as far north as Maine and as far south as New Jersey. Hundreds of brush fires and wildfires have also occurred across the region, destroying homes and businesses. Meanwhile, local fire departments are eating through their annual budgets as they rush to extinguish blazes that sometimes spread over thousands of acres.
Region gets hotter
Many experts believe that the drought has been caused by climate change, with the EPA reporting that dry conditions are linked to a long period over which the northeast has become hotter. The agency also says that over the next several decades, these changes in the weather may affect human health.
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